Greyhound at Palm Beach Kennel Club Tested Positive for Cocaine

Another gruesome aspect of greyhound racing comes to light. Dogs injured, now dogs drugged. Florida, when is enough enough?

And, by the way, bettors: Do you realize the dogs you plunk your money down on may never even have a chance at winning?

This week on The Simpsons: Homer develops a coke habit, and after his 8-ball goes missing, Santa's Little Helper goes on a winning streak at the track.

'A DBPR representative said that the division has opened 170 drug positive cases this fiscal year, though this is the only one in Palm Beach.'

Wow. 170 in this fiscal year alone!!!

This follows two cocaine positives late last year in greyhounds running in Alabama at Birmingham Race Course and Mobile Greyhound Park - http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2010/05/greyhound_at_the_birmingham_ra.html

It's just another form of abuse suffered by these gentle dogs at the hands of the racing industry.

Thank you, Mr. Mooney, for continuing to shed light on this cruel and inhumane 'sport'.

Yet, just another reason that dog racing should be SHUT DOWN FOR GOOD! Anyone who steps foot inside a dog racing track, even if they're "not betting on the dogs" is contributing to animal cruelty. The tracks prove time and time again that these dogs are only commodities -- only to be discarded (80% are euthanized and not so humanely) when they no longer make money. They only race 3-4 years.

As a consumer filing a complaint with the DBPR -- don't hold your breath on them doing anything. 170 complaints of drugged dogs?!? What have they done about that? Nothing, I'm sure. They aren't going to cut off their cash cow... Voters need to vote with their dollars and contact their state rep's and senators and tell them to vote to end dog racing in Florida!

I hate what people do to these animals.

To April:

80% euthanized???? Where in h*ll did you come up with a bs number like that? Adoption of retired adoptable greyhounds is nearing 100%. The dogs love to run and that's what they are bred to do. Wish you would get your facts straight before spewing all your lies!!!

I worked in the industry for 14 years. There is nobody been around more than a year that hasnt seen something like this. Trainers care about one thing and thats winning and putting food on their families table.

YOU PEOPLE ARE STUPID. 170 Cases are OPENED, which means they're being investigated. Many of these will turn out to be FALSE POSITIVES! Since so many of you seem to be ignorant in chemistry: many different chemicals/drugs/meds/vitamins can metabolize into the same thing. IE, ibuprofen (and about 400 other meds, many of them over the counter) can give a false positive for marijuana.

In response to Lesley -- where did I get the 80% are euthanized number?!? Let's see -- numerous places. How about an HBO investigative report on Real Sports a couple of years ago for starters. How about numerous rescue groups, whom I'd believe over a track putting out phony p.r. like all these dogs go to a warm, fuzzy, happy every after life. We're not all buying the b.s. you're selling.

Just admit it -- you are a breeder, trainer or track worker. I hope that you'll soon be out of a job. These animals weren't bred to entertain you or anyone else, at the expense of their physical and mental well being!

Are these greyhounds bred to get electrocuted and have their limbs ripped off, broken, etc. during racing? Or is that just an "unfortunate" downside of racing, but is justified because the dogs are "bred to race?!?" Face it -- the more the public is educated, they do not support the cruelty of dog racing. If the legislators won't shut it down and make it illegal, people who care about the dogs will continue to educate people so they don't go. No money, no business, bye bye. :-)

In response to Lesley -- where did I get the 80% are euthanized number?!? Let's see -- numerous places. How about an HBO investigative report on Real Sports a couple of years ago for starters. How about numerous rescue groups, whom I'd believe over a track putting out phony p.r. like all these dogs go to a warm, fuzzy, happy every after life. We're not all buying the b.s. you're selling.

Just admit it -- you are a breeder, trainer or track worker. I hope that you'll soon be out of a job. These animals weren't bred to entertain you or anyone else, at the expense of their physical and mental well being!

Are these greyhounds bred to get electrocuted and have their limbs ripped off, broken, etc. during racing? Or is that just an "unfortunate" downside of racing, but is justified because the dogs are "bred to race?!?" Face it -- the more the public is educated, they do not support the cruelty of dog racing. If the legislators won't shut it down and make it illegal, people who care about the dogs will continue to educate people so they don't go. No money, no business, bye bye. :-)

In response to The "The Truth" -- I don't think you'd know the truth if you bit you in the a**.

www.grey2kusa.org is a fine non profit animal protection group that I've known for over 10 years. They're apparently doing their jobs properly in getting the laws changed in various states, or you would not be posting malicious lies about them on the internet. Again, you're probably a track worker, breeder or trainer. Face it, dog racing is dying "industry" -- you might want to find another line of work because animal lovers will not be giving up anytime soon to make dog racing illegal in all 50 states!

Dear April I love the fact that you can accuse someone of posting malicious lies about your friends Cary and his concubine but you and others of your ilk have no problem posting malicious lies about greyhound racing.
Once the truth has been revealed about Grey2K you notice that not too many of the knuckleheads that buy into their lies are so ready to step forward to defend them. The fact is that the truth hurts.By the way I do not work at the track or am I an owner or trainer but I do own a pet greyhound. When you only tell the truth and you stay away from the propaganda that spews from grey2K it does reveal what a corrupt group Grey2K really is.

In response to Ed -- was their an employee meeting at the track that suggested you all go on this blog and post nasty lies about Grey2k or something? You say you're not affiliated with or work at the track, but that you "own a pet greyhound" -- is it an adopted ex racer? Doubt it.
Because if you adopted a grey from a rescue group, you would not be sympathetic to the tracks, which you obviously are.

You're wrong -- there are "no truths to be revealed about Grey2k" -- just the tracks. Can't wait until all the remaining tracks have to start reporting all the injuries to the dogs specifically. I'm sure that will make the public want to stop going to the track.

By the way, Carey's "concubine", is the president of Grey2k and is also a licensed attorney. Might want to be careful of the nasty remarks being left on this website...

Not sure why adopting an ex racer would make me against greyhound racing. One thing I do know is that all that April knows is what is fed to her as propaganda and then she will regurgitate it as the truth. If one were to take injury reports from high school or college football one could make a case to outlaw both sports and recruit people like April to man the front lines. Want to know why this is not done is because too many people know the facts about those sports. Take a sport like dog racing that is not well known add an animal and collect large sums of money and you have a ready made scam. What bothers me is that this same type of scam is done over and over today and there are always willing chuckleheads like April (no offense intended) ready to give their time and money to people who are only too glad to take it.Got to go out now (boy it is hot out) must be global warming finally kicking in.

How can we believe anything fom Mr. Mooney. The facts are he writes from this rag tabloid that its backpage promotes prostitution and the exploits of girls and boys. If he wanted to do some good for all; He can put a stop to the filth his own tabloid produces.

www.browardpalmbeach.com

http://browardpalmbeach.backpage.com/

To Robert L. Funderburke - You're a whack job because you don't think global warming exists so there's no need to even address any of your comments as you're woefully misinformed. I sense you are somehow related to Rush Limpaugh?

I am so tired of the argument that greyhounds love to run. Wouldn't you love to run too if you were confined to a small cage 20 to 22 hours a day?

You can tell who the detractors are. In a just and right society, the anger would be directed back to whomever drugged these dogs and the fact of the matter that the drugging actually occurred.

Naysayers will say that the dogs weren't actually drugged rather a track person had cocaine remains on his or her hands like that is okay, like that is like having vitamin E left over on his or her hands.

GREY2K USA is effective and by revealing the ugly and inhumane problems largely inherent to the dog racing industry, they're bound to make a few enemies along the way but to the rest of us, we are 110% in their corner and on top of their mountain.

Can anyone explain why greyhound racing is far more socially embraced in other countries besides the United States?

Can anyone explain why greyhound racing is far more socially embraced in other countries besides the United States?

In the United States we have a lot of nut jobs like Shelly, April and Mike Mooney that buy into Grey2k Bullcrap.

Grey2k took in $500,000 last year $300,000 went to lobbyist I wonder who the lobbist are Hmm.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/lobbyist/index.cfm?Lobbyists=View_Lobbyist_Info&Tab=lobbyist&Submenu=2&First_Name=Carey%20M%2E&Last_Name=Theil&Suffix1=&Lobbyist_ID=006027&Title=%2D%3E2010%2D%3EL%2D%3ETheil%2C%20Carey%20M%2E

This is worse than shooting the messenger, although one commenter did criticize Michael Mooney.

Trainer drugs greyhound, investigated, fined, suspended for 10 days. No one's commented with a criticism of the trainer.

Newspaper reporter contacts track official who says she hasn't heard of the incident; doesn't say she'll look into it and get back to Mooney. No one's commented with a criticism of the track official.

Newspaper reporter contacts greyhound advocacy group spokesperson who comments on the SITUATION. And he's the guy that gets criticized.

What's wrong with this picture is a sampling of what's wrong with the greyhound racing folks. They don't like it when someone disturbs their modus operandi of no accountability.

In response to "Ed" -- this will be my last post to you as I have better things to do than respond to people of low intelligence. For your information, I'm a very independent thinker and I actually look at the FACTS before I support something. Apparently, that's not how you operate. You might want to do more research on the racing industry. For instance, the The Naples/Ft. Myers dog racing track has more citations than any other track in Florida. They still operating after 19 dogs were killed in a senseless fire due to negligence. The DBPR did nothing. Why would they? I mean, it's safe, right? It's all about the $$$.

If you talked to any legitimate adoption group (not one set up by the racing industry for public relations) for grey's I'd guarantee you they are not in support of racing because they see the scars (physically and emotionally) that these gentle dogs carry. I've met them firsthand. They have to keep their mouths shut to be able to get the dogs to adopt out. It's better than letting them end up on "kill trucks" -- do you know what a kill truck is? Again, maybe you should read and research a little more before you call informed people like myself chuckleheads. A good start: HBO's Real Sports segment on the "dark side" of dog racing. I guess respected investigative journalists for that program are chuckleheads, too... The internet is a wonderful tool for researching info -- please use it sometime.

I know several people who've adopted grey's and I've seen the multiple scars on each dog, from racing. Ed, are you also "The Truth" and "Lesley" as well? People like you make me sick. How anyone could adopt an ex racer and be ok with dog racing, and even defend it, needs to have their head examined.

In response to James -- why is greyhound racing socially embraced more in other countries other than the US? Good question. Probably because of ignorance and because people just don't care, so long as they're enjoying themselves. In Spain they actually HANG the greyhound racers (gato's -- sp?) in trees after each season. Go on YouTube and search "greyhound racing Spain" and see what comes up. There are actual photo's of it and it's sickening. What could possibly be the purpose of doing that other than ignorance and animal cruelty, all in the name of "tradition?!?" Kind of like bull fighting -- why is that allowed? Why does Mexico and some parts of Spain still allow such cruelty? Because it's "tradition" and they enjoy it, money is made off it, so I guess that makes it ok.. Barcelona has banned bullfighting because of the cruelty of the "sport." Just because it's still going on, doesn't make it right. Dog racing will be non existent in the US within 10 years.

Typical Grey2k supportors.
1 Women- men
2 40 - 50 yrs
3 Democrats 'pro obama'
4 Lesbian or gay
5 own a cat
6 drive an import
7 single 'never married'
8 born in a major city

James says:
Can anyone explain why greyhound racing is far more socially embraced in other countries besides the United States?

Let me take a stab at it.

Greyhound advocacy is building in the UK and Australia and New Zealand. Many tracks closed in the UK after the worldwide news that some guy shot 10,000 greyhounds over a period of years. All he was dinged for was pollution.

Animal advocates everywhere went ballistic. People who are pro racing would probably find a way to hammer the messenger like some advocate quoted in the story. Regardless, that bit of bad news closed down my UK tracks.

In other countries, dog is on the menu so greyhound racing is socially acceptable.

Response to 'The Truth' –

Well, the long list of lies in your pile of pro-racing hogwash begins with the statement that Carey Theil is an attorney. That is false. Along with every single bit of the rest of it.

The people left in the industry are desperately hanging on to their livelihoods the only way they can - by attacking any attempts to uncover the realities of this horrible 'sport' and the people who are doing it, like Michael Mooney.

They attack the messengers because they can't deny the message - you can't dispute the truth.

Dog racing is cruel and inhumane.
Racing greyhounds live confined to small cages 20+ hours per day.
They receive sub-standard care in the pursuit of profit.
They are fed 4-D meat raw, and many racing kennels don’t even provide the basics of flea/tick preventative or heartworm preventative.
They are raced on average 4-6 times per month, during which they are faced with the risk of injury and death.
Public information records requests at multiple tracks in multiple racing states have shown that these innocent animals suffer broken legs, necks and backs, lacerations, muscle tears, electrocution and cardiac arrest. http://grey2kusa.org/racing/sheets.html

Greyhounds will continue to suffer and die as long as dog tracks remain open.
GREY2K USA will continue to fight to close every last dog track in the United States.

A comment previously posted here by "The Truth" has been removed. The comment copied and pasted an article, and doing so may have violated copyright laws, which violates our terms of use.

To find the article referenced in the comment, click here: http://www.trackinfo.com/news/enddogracing1.pdf

And in an interest in finding "the truth," I'll note that the article in question does appear to be produced by pro-greyhound racing interests. For instance, the byline and the publication name do not come up anywhere online.

Eric Barton
Editor
New Times
eric.barton@browardpalmbeach.com

To Mutly, please stop drinking gasoline. You're so confused that now you're mixing up your hatred for the US President with your desire to continue hurting greyhounds for profit. How would you like people making up demographics about the pro-racing people?

1) Usually male, with a creepy 70s porn mustache

2) Doesn't believe in evolution

3) Doesn't believe in global warming

4) Tells the world (maybe even a wife, kids) that he's straight, but fantasizes about making out with the other mustached trainers when the lights go out

5) Drives a truck they hope makes up for the lack of penis size

6) Used to put firecrackers in cats' asses

7) Never graduated from high school

8) Drinks a lot to help deal with hearing the yelping of dogs with broken bones they don't want to pay to mend

To Mutly -- how ridiculous to try and categorize people into whether they are "Democrat or Republican" on the subject of caring about animals!

For your information, I've been an animal rights advocate for well over a decade and I'm about as conservative as one gets. I loathe and despise our fake president Obama, so don't assume I'm a Democrat just because I care about the welfare of animals.

Stop blaming the trainer. Voluntary cocaine abuse among dogs is a very real problem, especially among Greyhounds. Party with them at your own risk. I mean, how do they keep so skinny? Duh!

Getting back to the article in hand: if this was a one-off incident you could be forgiven (MensaBabe??? really?)for believing this was a result of 'vitamins', however, it happens over and over again and not just in the good ol'USA.
Doping and cruelty happen anywhere there is money to be made it seems...is that what you meant by "socially embraced" the Truth?
This is just one aspect of the disgusting treatment these creatures are subjected to. for all you pro racers, just Google pictures of greyhounds and you will see see carcases of decapitated greys, ears cut off, hung dogs (this is a popular way to get rid of dogs at the end of season in Spain.
As a British ex-pat I thought the USA was more enlightened and better than the rest of the world when it comes to justice and ethical treatment of animals...was I ever wrong!

how its possible that in these times this happens ... and even less i dont understand why do not revoke the license to this guy and FIRST OF ALL that poor dog ...

Burma Brozovich

Queenie Vadnais

ALL GREYHOUND RACING SHOULD BE BANNED IN THE ENTIRE USA. THERE IS NO REASON TO ALLOW THESE POOR DOGS TO HAVE TO RUN AROUND A TRACK. SO IDIOTS CAN BET ON THEM. BET ON SOMETHING ELSE. STOP THIS HORRIFIC ABUSE OF ANIMALS FOR THESE LOWLIFE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO DECENT LIFE. OR DECENT BRAINS.

LOWLIFES DRUG AND RACE GREYHOUNDS. STOP IT NOW IN ENTIRE USA.

ALL GREYHOUND RACING SHOULD BE BANNED IN THE ENTIRE USA. THERE IS NO REASON TO ALLOW THESE POOR DOGS TO HAVE TO RUN AROUND A TRACK. SO IDIOTS CAN BET ON THEM. BET ON SOMETHING ELSE. STOP THIS HORRIFIC ABUSE OF ANIMALS FOR THESE LOWLIFE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO DECENT LIFE. OR DECENT BRAINS.

LOWLIFES DRUG AND RACE GREYHOUNDS. STOP IT NOW IN ENTIRE USA.

actual greyhound owner says:

This week on The Simpsons: Homer develops a coke habit, and after his 8-ball goes missing, Santa's Little Helper goes on a winning streak at the track.
---------------------------------------------

That sums up the ridiculousness of those that think this incident has anything to do with dog racing. There is a reason that human drug testing requires a far greater level of the metabolites to test positive. It could be incidental contact, just as if a human touched the wrong dollar bill. More likely though is that it came from one of the many other prescription medications that can be given to animals. This medication could have been given to the dog for treatment or to another animal who's meat was fed to the dog and indirectly passed it on to the dog. Bio-magnification is a problem in many wild animals. Animals absorb things from what they eat and it can accumulate over time.

Trace amount of cocaine are much more common than you would think. In fact, drugs are so prevalent in our society that scientists can detect minute traces in the air.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30741658/

MADRID — Air pollution has long been a fact of life in Spanish cities, but scientists now say it is not just smog that chokes people as they walk to work or stroll through the park.

A new study has found the air in Madrid and Barcelona is also laced with at least five drugs — most prominently cocaine.

The Superior Council of Scientific Investigations, a government institute, said on its Web site Thursday that in addition to cocaine, they found trace amounts of amphetamines, opiates, cannabinoids and lysergic acid — a relative of LSD — in two air-quality control stations, one in each city.

But it said there was no reason for alarm.

"Not even if we lived for a thousand years would we consume the equivalent of a dose of cocaine by breathing this air," scientist Miren Lopez de Alda said in a statement.

The scientific group stressed that "in no case should these levels be considered representative of the air in the two cities." It said the tests were done in areas where drugs were likely to be consumed.

In Madrid, the test site was close to a ruined building believed to be frequented by drug dealers. And in both Madrid and Barcelona, the studies were carried out close to universities.

The group said the study showed higher concentrations of the components on weekends, suggesting that drug consumption was up in these periods.

The research found cocaine in concentrations ranging between 29 and 850 picogram per cubic meter of air. A picogram is one-trillionth of a gram.

Mar Viana, another researcher who worked on the project, said the levels were far higher than those found in similar studies in Europe. She said one study in Rome and Taranto in 2007 revealed cocaine levels of 100 picograms per cubic meter.

According to the U.S. State Department, Spain is Europe's largest consumer of cocaine and hashish. It is also a major transit point for narcotics shipments from South and Central America as well as Africa.

The scientists detected the drug by placing quartz microfiber filters in the air-testing stations. They said the method was new and could help in measuring drug use in towns and cities in a fast and anonymous way.

The group said the findings would be published in the U.S. journal Analytical Chemistry.

grey2k is doing all it has to do for the money.thay dont give a shit about the dogs
becouse if they did .dog raceing would have been out of biz by now

I just signed up to your news feed after reading this piece! Can you post more on the topic in future posts?